Artificial lure



J. M. MARSICO ARTIFICIAL LURE Nov. 28, 1950 Filed Nov. 15, 1949 JAWS MMAHLS'C' O n [III Illl umh i Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED .STAT-Es PATENT o-FFICE ARTIFICIAL LUKE .laines Marsica, Creekside, Pa.

Application November 15, 1949, `Serai No. 127,341

(ci. swan) This invention relates to artificial bait or fish lures.

A principal object `of the present invention is to provide an artcial bait or fish lure and method of Amaking the same, whereby Kthe :bait or lure may be cheaply and economically fabricated by hand, and at the same time the utility and qeiiioiency thereof greatly enhanced.

Another object of the invention is to provide an artificial bait or sh lure in the Vform of` a minncw `and which may be used as a top water, or submerged, lure. Y

Still another object of` the invention is -to-provide an farticial `mipnow which will 41ra-ve `all the appearances cita live minnow, both as `to form and as to movement, and which may be used to Vadvantage with a fly rod for spinning, with a bobber `for still fishing, and also which maybe used for trolling and/or ice nshing.

A still further object f the invention .50 pro vide `a iish iure that is strong and durable, cape able of being used again and again, and in which the shank of the hook `forms a material portion of the body of the lure and `in such a manner' that the hookand bodyare maintained in `prmer relation at fall times. t

The invention, `together with its objects and advantages, will behest understood when `the following description read with reference to the accompanying drawing in which are illustrated what `are presently considered preferred ,embodiments of the invention,..and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of theartifcial bait or sh lure embodying the features of the invention, with rcertain parts broken away and other parts shown in section;

Figure `2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line l2m-2 ci .Figure l;

` body of the artiiieial bait or fish 1lure is formed `Figure i3 is a .longitudinal sectional `view through the lureV with certain parts shown in elevation; Y

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, on a reduced scale, of a slightly modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the lure of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a combined balancing weight and weed guard forming part'cf the invention, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternate form of buoyant material, forming part of the invention.

In each form of il?? inverting illustrated, the

about the Shank Hlof `a fish hook il in the .01.-` lowing manner: The `shank I6 is encased in -a sheath-ing` l2 composed of any `desired `:rnimber ofgwranpings `of closely wound `thread that is cir.- cumierentially wound around the shank for subtantally the full length thereof from the eye ljto the bill Iof the hook lil.

et 'the eye end 1-3 of the hook the `sheathing |2fv is diametrically enlarged and shaped to pro vide a head M; head le being formed by closely winding a desired number of mappings of `tlzlread about the sheathing I2 :and in a manner to give to the head t4 :the desired shape.

`To impart the desired buoyancy to the lure there is disposed upon the sheathing L2 near the bill oi the hook il `a. buoyant material I5. This Vbuoyant material i5 may be the form of Va strip of cork or 4other `.Suitable material ad.- hesively ,secured `te the sheathing l2 as shown to advantage in Figure `3 or, in the alternative, may be in the form of a tube as shown in Figure 8 and indicated by `the reference numeral te, as may 1beiound desirable.`

`Surrounding the sheathing 12, head I4 `and buoyant material l5 (or i6, as the case may be) isa z-iler Il composed `.of Strands of hair that extend from `the head i4 to a point slightly beyond :the sheathing l2 `at the tail `or `rear `end ofthe lure.` About thisller i?! ,thereis disposed .a `layer `I8 oi cotton. To this `outer layer it of cotton are attachedbodyteathers i9. i in iabr eating the body in the manner `just described, the hair H are vcaused to adhere to the sheathinglZ 'by applying to the latter `a surface coating -of suitable glue after which the hair `Il are applied about thesheathing it; `The :surface of thc`-hair iller il' is then coated with afglue which causes the layer of cotton to -adhere thereto. After the cotton layer "f has `been applied the surface thereof is coated with glue to cause the body feathers I'Q to `adhere thereto. The tip 2S of fthe .feathers extends beyond the barb `or *bill of the hook I i and simulates thetail of a sh. Also the lure is provided with an upper fin 2l which, similar to the exterior surface of the sh and the tail 20, is formed of a feather and is adhesfively united with the bait body.

The fillers I1 and I8 are so shaped to give to the body an outline to simulate the desired fish, in the present instance, a minnow.

Eyes 22 may be either cast into the body or painted thereon, and after the components of thebody have all been assembled in the manner described, the body feathers I9 have applied To insure that the bait will at all times assume a proper position in the water and thus accurately simulate a live minnow, the forward portion of the body of the bait, slightly inwardly from the head end thereof, is provided at the bottom o r This weight l belly side thereof with a weight. may be either in the form of a pellet 24 imbedded in the body as shown to advantage in Figure 3,

or may be in the form of a metal plate 25 suitably secured to the body as shown to advantage in Figures 4 to 6. The weight (24 or 25, as the case may be) cooperates with the buoyantmaterial (I5 or I6, as the case may be) to hold the bait or sh lure at all times in substantially a horizontal position and against the tendency to assume a vertical position, and which latter tendency is objectionably characteristic of all known artificial baits or lures.

Also, in accordance with this invention a weed guard 26 may be used. In the preferred embodiment thereof the guard 26 is formed from a single length of wire bent into a substantial U and the legs thereof crossed as shown in Figure 7. The guard 26 is preferably used with the form of weight 24 shown in Figure 3. When employed, the bite portion 21 of the guard is engaged in a slot 28 provided therefor in the weight 24 and the legs of the guard extend rearwardly through the body of the lure to extend outwardly of the body and terminate in effective operative position relative to the bill of the hook II in a manner to prevent the hook becoming entangled with weeds. weeds away from the hook l I.

It is believed that the manner of using the artificial bait or fish lure is apparent to those skilled in the art without detailed description; it being noted that the eye I3 on the shank of the hook I I is exposed for connecting a line with the lure in the usual manner.

It will also be noted that a fish lure body having the features of construction herein detailed and capable of being fabricated by hand in the manner herein described also lends itself to the employment of a fish hook of the type having formed in the shank thereof a hump 29. Where a hump type of fish hook is employed, as shown to advantage in Figure 3, rotative movement of the body about and relative to the shank of the hook I I is absolutely prevented and the hook and body portion of the lure are maintained in DIODGI relaztion at all times.

As is apparent the guard 26 will deflect While the invention has been described in detail in its presently preferred embodiments, it will, of course, be understood that such has been done for purposes of illustration only and not by way of limitation, and therefore only such limitations are to be imposed thereon as may reasonably come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: l. A fish lure comprising a hook, a sheathing of thread wound tightly around the shank of the hook, a filler of hair around the sheathed shank and adhesively united with the sheathing, said `hair filler being shaped to conform to the shape of the body of a fish, a ller of cotton around the hair filler and adhesively secured thereto, an outer skin of feathers adhesively secured to the cotton filler, said feathers having portions therev'of projecting to form a top n and a tail 1in respectively, and a transparent protective coating over the outer surface of the skin-forming .feathers.

2. An artificial minnow comprising a hook, a sheathing about the shank of the hook for substantially the full length thereof, an outer skin of feathers shaped to conform to the shape of the body of a minnow, and filler means interposed between the sheathed shank and outer skin comprising inner and outer layers of hair and cotton respectively.

3. A fish lure having a body comprising a hook, a sheathing about the shank of the hook for substantially the full length of the shank, a buoyant material secured to the sheathing adjacent the bill of the hook, superimposed adhesively united layers of hair and cotton around the sheathed shank and adhesively united with the sheathing, said layers of hair and cotton being shaped to conform to the shape of the body of a minnow, an outer skin of feathers adhesively secured tothe cotton layer and having portions thereof projecting to form a top 1in and a tail n respectively, a weight united with the lure body adjacent the belly side thereof and adjacent the head end of the body, and a weed guard attached to the weight and having legs extending outwardly through the body and terminating in operative position relative to the bill of the hook.

JAMES M. MARSICO,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file'of this patent:

` UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

